Mar 01, 2019 Read time: approx. MinutesMinute
WACKER and Fuji Polymer develop silicone-based thermal interface materials
Companies cooperate in the field of thermally conductive plastic for the automotive and electronics sectors
Although WACKER and Fuji Polymer Industries both produce silicone-based thermal interface materials for industrial applications, the range of products supplied by each company is different. WACKER produces uncured liquid or paste-like silicones that it supplies in the form of gels, encapsulants, adhesives and sealants intended for metering processes. Fuji Polymer Industries, on the other hand, makes ready-to-use silicone elastomer components such as contact mats, films and pads for the electronics industry and automotive suppliers.
The companies intend to intensify and broaden this collaboration in the future. “Both WACKER and Fuji Polymer Industries are experts in their fields and possess a vast knowledge of the formulation and processing of thermally conductive silicones – WACKER when it comes to liquid systems, Fuji Polymer Industries for ready-to-use components,” said Christian Gimber, head of Engineering Silicones at WACKER SILICONES. “We will be redoubling our collaboration in the future with a view to jointly developing innovative materials that meet the constantly growing demands of the electronics and automotive industries.”
“Our thermally conductive silicones not only can be processed efficiently, but also take account of the stringent safety and reliability demands imposed by the electronics and automotive industries.”
Christian Gimber, head of Engineering Silicones at WACKER SILICONES
SARCON® thermal gap filler pads from Fuji Polymer Industries are highly conformable, thermally conductive gels in versatile sheet form. They adhere to all shapes and sizes of components, even when they feature protrusions or recessed surfaces.
Fuji Polymer Industries exhibited the first fruits of this new collaboration at the International Automotive Electronics Technology Expo 2019 in Tokyo. “Electronic devices and batteries generate a great deal of heat that impacts their functionality and service life and can lead to serious faults. Efficient thermal management is therefore growing increasingly essential in many applications, such as consumer electronics and electric vehicles,” said Gimber. To better cool the components, the industry is turning more and more often to heat-dissipation materials, he added.
Fuji Polymer Industries, too, stands to benefit enormously from the development partnership. “This collaboration with WACKER is hugely important for us. It means, first, that we can benefit from the technical expertise of a leading silicones producer for our development work. And, second, we can now affix the “Based on ELASTOSIL®” logo to our thermally conductive silicone products. In this way, our customers will know that only high-quality silicones from WACKER were used in the manufacture of those products,” said Mitsuhiro Fujimoto, board member at Fuji Polymer Industries.